Draft Day Winners and Losers
Mon Apr 29 11:53am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
White should be lead back
The draft is always so exciting, seeing where all the players get picked. But after the draft, the big issue is figuring out what it all means for their fantasy value. We thought it would be a good idea to look at some of the biggest fantasy winners and losers from draft day. These are some of the players that were picked but also some of the guys that were already on rosters, seeing their fantasy value get impacted from the draft. Adjust your rankings accordingly!
WINNERS
Bryce Young, QB, Panthers. The Panthers did a great job of getting Young some much needed offensive help. The team took a receiver, running back and tight end in three of the first four rounds of the draft. Carolina already added Diontae Johnson this offseason, so the receiver corps should be much better after getting Xavier Legette in the first round. The receivers got very little separation last year, so it was hard to gauge Young. He needed help and got some this offseason. Carolina also took a possible franchise running back in Jonathon Brooks and hopefully a solid starting tight end in Ja’Tavion Sanders. Things are looking up for Young and this offense.
Xavier Worthy, WR, Chiefs. Worthy could not have landed in a much better spot. He heads to one of the best offenses in football that has some openings at receiver, especially with the status of Rashee Rice a bit up in the air. Worthy has electric speed and the Chiefs should find plenty of ways to utilize that. He could be the new Tyreek Hill for this offense. Look for Worthy to make an impact right away.
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys. Maybe one of the biggest surprises of the draft was the Cowboys not addressing their running back spot. Instead, the team signed Elliott after the draft. He is likely to be the starter in this top offense. He might not rack up the yards of past seasons, but has big touchdown potential in this offense. Elliott seems a pretty sure bet to get double-digit touchdowns. He could be a solid No. 2 for fantasy teams.
Jonathon Brooks, RB, Panthers. Brooks is returning from a major knee injury and could be slowed a little early in the season, but once he is back healthy look for him to the three-down back for the Panthers. He lands in a great spot for playing time, having little top talent to compete with for playing time. Brooks could really get the volume in this offense. He is our top rookie fantasy back.
Zamir White, RB, Raiders. Many thought the Raiders were another team that could address their running back spot during the draft, but that didn’t happen. They used a sixth-round pick on Dylan Laube, but he is not expected to challenge White for that starter’s job. It sure seems the Raiders are comfortable with White as their lead back. He has a chance to get a lot of touches in year two. His stock is going up.
Ladd McConkey, WR, Chargers. The Chargers need help at receiver and McConkey helps fill that need. It would not surprise if he quickly became Justin Herbert’s favorite target in the passing game. We really like his chances to rack up the weekly looks in this offense. Someone has to fill the Keenan Allen void and McConkey seems the best bet out of the options at receiver for the Chargers.
Keon Coleman, WR, Bills. Coleman is another rookie receiver that lands in a great spot for playing time. The departure of Stefon Diggs leaves a big opening for the Bills. Coleman could help fill that void. He has great size for the position and could be a top red-zone threat from day one for Buffalo. Coleman should get his chances from the get go, giving him a high ceiling for the coming year.
LOSERS
Raheem Mostert, RB, Dolphins. Mostert had a monster season last year and helped many fantasy teams to championships. He is going to have a very hard time repeating, especially after the Dolphins picked Jaylen Wright in the fourth round. Wright is a speed back similar to Mostert but a lot younger with less wear on his tires. Remember, Mostert is 32 years old. He might end up falling to third on the depth chart after the addition of Wright.
Rome Odunze, WR, Bears. Odunze is a super talented player that could be a star in the NFL. But for his year, you have to worry about him being up and down. He has two really good receivers ahead of him on the depth chart in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. This is going to limit the ceiling of Odunze. He will be a much better fantasy player in a few more seasons. For now, expect erratic production from the talented rookie.
Kyren Williams, RB, Rams. Williams remains the lead back for the Rams and is coming off a breakout season. But the Rams picked Blake Corum in the third round. He is going to be a factor in the offense. He might get put a huge dent in Williams’ workload but the big concern is the goal-line work. Corum is more of a between the tackles runner that does well on short-yardage work. He could end up stealing some touchdowns from Williams, hurting his fantasy value.
Michael Mayer, TE, Raiders. Mayer was a second-round pick for the Raiders last year and showed well at times his rookie season. The Raiders couldn’t pass on the talented Brock Browers in this year’s draft, though. This move absolutely kills the fantasy value of Mayer. He is going to play second fiddle to Browers, getting few weekly looks. Browers is the clear tight end to own in this offense.
Ricky Pearsall, WR, 49ers. Pearsall is a talented pass catcher that can get in and out of his breaks in a hurry. He is a really good fit for the slot and could fill that role for the 49ers his rookie season. The problem is he has some of the top talent in all of football to compete with for targets. He could really be up and down his rookie season. He will look better in a year or two when he has a more defined role and less to compete with at receiver. His rookie season could be a tough one to gauge for fantasy owners.
Malik Nabers, WR, Giants. Many considered Nabers the top receiver in this year’s draft. He is super talented with a high fantasy ceiling. The problem for Nabers is he got drafted by the Giants, a team that really struggled offensively last year. Plus, he has Daniel Jones throwing him passes. This is not a great landing spot for the talented Nabers. Jones needs to make some big strides this season if Nabers hopes to reach his potential. We aren’t sure that happens.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
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The Paur Report
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New York Jets offensive tackle Tyron Smith (neck) was injured in the Week 10 game on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals and is doubtful to return. Meanwhile, cornerback Brandin Echols (concussion) suffered a concussion and has been ruled out. The Jets are getting absolutely manhandled on both sides of the ball in the desert against the first-place Cardinals on Sunday, and now they will probably be without both Smith and Echols for the rest of the game. With Smith unlikely to return to the second half, Olu Fashanu is expected to take over starting duties the rest of the way at right tackle. The 33-year-old Smith is an eight-time Pro Bowler and will be a big loss for the Jets' offensive line if he's forced to miss time beyond Week 10.
From RotoBaller
The Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan reports that New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was informed on Saturday that he may not play on Sunday in Week 10 against the Chicago Bears as the coaching staff prioritizes playing time for their younger players, according to a source. Bourne had played 78 percent of the team's offensive snaps the last two games, but he was the only receiver not to see the field through the first five offensive drives, and he finished the 19-3 victory with no targets. In last week's overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans, Bourne had his best game of the season, catching four of six targets for 41 yards. The 29-year-old got a late start to the season due to injury and just hasn't regained any fantasy relevance in an offense that has struggled under both quarterbacks Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (ankle) returned to the Week 10 divisional clash against the Dallas Cowboys after leaving with a tweaked left ankle early in the first quarter. Slay injured his ankle on the first defensive series of the game and was initially deemed questionable to return to Sunday's game. It's good news for the Eagles defense while going up against an offense that could be without starting quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) for the rest of the season. With Slay back on the field for the second half, he'll return to trying to keep Cowboys leading receiver CeeDee Lamb in check. Going into this one, the Eagles defense/special teams unit was a popular DFS pick in quarterback Cooper Rush's first start of the 2024 campaign.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed 22-of-37 passes for 190 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in a loss against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Jones not only missed open receivers, he flat-out failed to even throw to them at times. After the game, the Giants went on record saying they were evaluating the position. With Jones looking this bad against one of the league's worst defenses and the Giants sitting at 2-8, it would be no surprise to see Drew Lock under center here soon. With just eight touchdowns and seven interceptions on the year, the Jones era in New York is surely coming to an end and the Giants may very well be players in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Dynasty | Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had six catches for 50 yards in a loss against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Nabers had a quiet day and that included leaving briefly to be evaluated for a concussion. The Giants are considering a quarterback change and it certainly wouldn't hurt. The fact Nabers has been able to post the numbers he has this season with the offensive struggles the Giants have endured is a modern day miracle. He remains a solid WR1 regardless of who may be under center for the G-Men.
Dynasty | Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed 24-of-38 passes for 241 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions in a win against Jacksonville. Dynasty Analysis: Darnold was white hot at the beginning of the season but has just three touchdowns and five interceptions the past two weeks. To make things worse, Darnold's interceptions were all deep inside Jags territory and those red zone turnovers were nearly killers for the Vikings. He'll remain a QB2 moving forward as he essentially auditions for other teams this season with JJ McCarthy waiting in the wings.
Dynasty | Jaguars running back Travis Etienne had 44 rushing yards, one catch, and -1 receiving yard in a loss against Minnesota. Dynasty Analysis: Tank Bigsby was hurt in the game and that opened up the door for Etienne for more touches. Unfortunately, a Mac Jones-led offense just didn't do much in this one and Etienne couldn't get on track. This has been a tough season for Etienne, who clearly has talent but the Jaguars aren't committing much to him and he's playing on a team that just isn't very good. A lost season isn't a death knell for Etienne, but he's hardly a lineup lock at this point in the season. His dynasty value is continuing it's slow descent as a result.
Dynasty | Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson completed 14-of-28 passes for 195 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in a win against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Wilson isn't putting up vintage yardage totals this year, but it's hard to argue with six touchdowns, one interception, and all three games won at the helm of the Steelers thus far. Wilson was fairly efficient today and while he did make one mistake, it's hard to look at this game and say Justin Fields could make some of the same throws Wilson did. While more a QB2 than a QB1 this year, Wilson looks like he could be in the midst of a comeback season. His dynasty value has stabilized and is starting to tick up this year.
Dynasty | Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams had one catch for 32 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's win against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Williams caught just one pass in his Steelers debut, but it was the biggest catch he's made in some time as it sealed a huge win against Washington. Williams will likely be integrated more in the offense moving forward, but this was certainly a good sign. He remains a bit of a roster clogger at the moment, but we'll see if he can build on this performance.
Dynasty | Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed just 17-of-34 passes for 202 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss against Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: Leave it to Mike Tomlin to be the Coach who finally cracks the code and keeps Daniels contained. While this was a disappointing performance, it's hardly an indictment on his fantasy value. He'll remain on the QB1 line moving forward and he's solidified himself as an elite-level dynasty asset already.
Dynasty | 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey rushed for 39 yards and added six catches for 68 receiving yards in a win against Tampa Bay. Dynasty Analysis: McCaffrey didn't score in this one, but he looked as good as ever. While dynasty managers may be a little disappointed in the lack of a touchdown, there's a silver lining here and that's the fact he entered and left the game healthy. Expect McCaffrey's workload to increase as the weeks move forward, but he should be an elite-level player the rest of the way. His dynasty value will likely never see top-five value again based on his age, but he's still a weapon like no other.
Dynasty | Tampa Bay running back Bucky Irving had 73 rushing yards and a touchdown in a loss against San Francisco. Dynasty Analysis: Irving continues to post solid numbers whenever he sees an opportunity. The only problem here is the fact his 16 touches on the day matched those of Rachaad White. It may take an injury for Irving to truly emerge, but he's clearly one of the most promising rookies in this year's class. His dynasty arrow continues to point up.
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson led the offense with 20 carries for 116 yards and two touchdowns, adding three catches for 28 yards as well, but his team still fell to the Saints 20-17 on Sunday afternoon. Robinson was nearly not afforded the opportunity for his first score, as the Falcons decided to hand the ball off to Tyler Allgeier three straight times from the 1-yard line, only to be stuffed on all three tries. However, Atlanta went for it on 4th-and-1, with Robinson cashing it in for a TD. It was the fifth consecutive contest in which the 22-year-old went over 100 total yards rushing and receiving and seventh straight that he's caught at least three passes, making him even more valuable in PPR formats. The former first-round draft pick now has six rushing TDs on the season along with a receiving TD as well. The Falcons may lean more on the ground game again in Week 11 against a tough Broncos pass defense and Robinson will once again be locked in as an RB1.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings tight end Josh Oliver caught 4-of-6 targets for 52 yards in the team's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10. The 27-year-old now has back-to-back weeks with at least four receptions and 50 yards, ironically the first two contests for which teammate T.J. Hockenson has been active. Oliver's yardage total was second on the team to his fellow tight end (who was superb in his own right with an 8/72 line), and the six targets were good enough for the same mark. Whether this kind of usage is prescriptive moving forward remains to be seen, but Jacksonville did an excellent job clamping down on the Vikings' wideouts in this one. Minnesota will get another tough test in Week 11 when they line up against the Tennessee Titans.
From RotoBaller
According to Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen, quarterback Joe Flacco will remain under center "until he says otherwise." With Anthony Richardson benched, Flacco threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns off 26-for-35 passing in Sunday's loss to Buffalo. However, he also tossed three interceptions, with one resulting in a pick-six. With that in mind, the signal-caller hasn't been terrible in his starts this season, so he should continue to have sporadic value in multi-QB fantasy setups moving ahead as long as he remains starting, including against the Jets in Week 11, even more so if Michael Pittman Jr. (back) can suit up after missing Sunday's contest.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (ankle) is questionable to return to Sunday's NFC East showdown with the Dallas Cowboys. The 33-year-old entered Week 10 with 27 tackles, one forced fumble, and five passes defensed. But after missing the Week 9 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars because of a groin injury, he lasted just three plays in this one before going down with an ankle injury. If he doesn't return, he'll finish without making any statistical contributions on the defensive end. Isaiah Rodgers could see more time on the field if Slay can't make it back.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed 15-of-25 passes for 126 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in a win against the Giants. Dynasty Analysis: He added 30 rushing yards. Young has looked far from dynamic recently but he's also not looking like a complete bust, either. At this point, Carolina is likely going to give him the rest of the season to prove he can be counted on and he's been doing much better of late. Young made some difficult throws today and managed the game well, even having a second touchdown pass wiped off due to a penalty. His dynasty value has been crushed, but he's still roster worthy at the moment.
Dynasty | Giants running back Tyrone Tracy had 103 rushing yards and a touchdown, but also a costly fumble in a loss to Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Tracy put up another solid day of running, including a 32-yard touchdown scamper in the second half. Unfortunately, he coughed the ball up deep in Giants territory in overtime and that set up the Panthers for the game winner. He was visibly upset on the sidelines and it marred an otherwise solid performance. Tracy has supplanted Devin Singletary as the starter and that shouldn't change. His dynasty value is still pointing up, despite the miscue.
Dynasty | Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard had 153 rushing yards, four catches, and 16 receiving yards in a win against the Giants. Dynasty Analysis: Hubbard isn't going away, folks. The Panthers rewarded him with a solid contract extension and while Jonathon Brooks is waiting in the wings, Hubbard is still going to likely operate as the primary running back or "1A" in the offense when Brooks makes his debut. This has the makings of an ugly timeshare at some point, but Hubbard has been borderline amazing this season and the Panthers are going to keep riding him moving forward. He looks like a relative bargain at this point in dynasty leagues.
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson reeled in 8-of-9 targets for 72 yards in Sunday's 12-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was anticipated that his usage would begin to tick up as he got further out from his knee injury, but the former Iowa Hawkeye pulled out an excellent performance in just his second game back from the IR. Hockenson's reception and yardage total both led the team, while his nine targets tied wide receiver Justin Jefferson for the most on the squad. The only thing missing from his line was a touchdown. Fellow tight end Josh Oliver was still decently involved (4/52), but this performance from the 27-year-old should put any feelings of unease about his workload moving forward to rest. The Vikings will hit the road in Week 11 to take on the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.
From RotoBaller
